Sustainable Jersey awarded Lawrence Township has been awarded a grant for its new recycling program.
Lawrence is one of four municipalities in New Jersey to receive a Small Grant at the $20,000 level.
The township is embarking on a new recycling program that allows residents, on an optional basis the opportunity to compost their organic waste for a monthly fee.
Removing organic materials from the waste stream will reduce the amount of trash that is taken to the landfill. According to the EPA, food scraps and yard waste make up 20 to 30 percent of the waste stream.
Making compost keeps these materials out of landfills, where they take up space and release methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent that carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere.
The township’s contractor needs 300 households to join the program before collection begins. The grant proceeds are planned to be used to offset the cost to participating households.
Sustainable Jersey’s Small Grants Program, funded by PSEG Foundation, provides $200,000 in grants to local governments for sustainability projects. Since 2009, Sustainable Jersey has distributed approximately $1,375,000 in grants to New Jersey municipalities.
Grant winners have projects that provide sustainable solutions to everyday challenges.
Along with the township’s recycling program, Sustainable Jersey provided grants for hawk habitat restoration, a bike depot for commuters, formation of a regional green team network and a rain garden.
